Supporting mechanism.



G. GUTTER.

SUPPORTING MEGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED sBPT.1o,1904.

900,265 Patented 0G13. 6, 1908.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

:ju/@wr @607:96

G. CUTTER.

SUPPORTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED sBPT,10, 1904.

' Patented Oct. 6, 1908.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Jin/@fafa G. CUTTER.

SUPPORTING MEGHANISM. APPLIOAETION FILED sBPT.1o`,19o4.

Patented oct. 6,1908.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

attorney GEORGE GUTTER, oF .W1NNETKA,

ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE CUTTER COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

sui-rename Meenemen.

Specification of Letters Patent.

- Patented Oct. 6, 1908.

.appnommmqdsepamtr io, 199.4. serial No. 224,006.

iBe it :known that LGnoReECUmrEm-citizen ofthe United States, .residinlat Winnetka, in the county of Cook -an *State of Illinois, have inventeda certain new and useful Improvementin Supportin Mechan-l -ismtof which.the l.following-is a ull, clear,

- concise, .and .exact description, reference ibe- `.ing had .to :theaccompanying drawings,

.forming a .part of `this specification.

My i invention .relates :to Vsupporting mechanism, and is ofparticularutility 1n sup- .portingarc lamps.

Hitherto therehas been devised a supporting mechanism for .-arc Alampscomprising a `pulley,Whose:housinglis provided with cams nndgrooves .andan interlocking enlargement ,provdeduponzthe cable or rope passing overthe pulley and .adapted when the rope is ,pulled at .one time to entercertain of the cam Ways or grooves provided in the housing and .toengagecertain of the cams provided i .inthe-housing to support-thearclamp. The

,rope when .pulled another time guldes the .sald .enlargement liutoanother set of cam iways or .grlooves .Whichnpermit theenlargelment-.upon therope tosleave the-pulley hous- -ing when "the ropeis released. This construction does not altogether ifulfil the presftheengagement between the enlargementA .ent requirements. For-example, eachtime .-'v-rupon the rope and thepul-ley housing is made ilamp.adjustment:

Lor-broken, bodilymovement ofthe said housfing sfollows, `whereby theoperation of :the

,pulley ihousing .and preferably .forming a 5 .continuation thereof,which element is movlable .with respect fto .the -main .pulley t housingupon which is provided the cam mechanism ifeoperati ng Awith the .rope.enlargement @to secnrefthelamp in a sup-portedipositionor` The twoportions `of' .to .permit A:its ,release ,theihoiis'ing,:that portion:Whose iplane is substantially efixed with respect to the plane ofVrotation ofthe pulley-andthat portion that fis movablewithirespectatothe aforesaid-portion, .are desirably mechanically united.by

vmeans of lan anti-.friction bearing preferably including a race-Way,oneof Whose Walls is carried byithe major element of the housing inwhich the'pulley is mounted, .the other Wall of .the race-Way beingcarried by the movable camV element and supported -upon the firstaforesaid race-Way Wall by balls interposed .between said Walls. By thisconstruction thc movable cam Aelement readily adapts titself to Itheenlargement .upon [the ,rope Without having to occasion a bodilycliangein the position ofthezpulley andthe Wallsbywhich it is carried. V

'Viewing my! invention from another standpoint, Ihave disposed the camelements and grooves upon a body @that is tubular and Whichpreferablyforms a continuation of the .Wallsaof a housing that carries.thesupporting pulley. By arranging the cam mechanism .upon a curvedsurface, the rope as it is raised and lowered may .be confined .to asingle line of vertical travel, a result @that Was .not accomplished'bythe device vof the prior art, -Wherebythe tendency to affect the lampadjustment is eliminated and the operation of .the apparatus-is renderedeasier. This tubularv cam element vis preferably movable With .respectto the Walls that carry the pulley.

In another aspect of my invention, .this tubular extension of thehousing provides a passage-Way for the supporting rope about which are:located the engaging portions of the switching mechanism that visemployed to cut-the lamp into circuit when it is elevated and to cut itout of circuit when .it is lowered, the said tubular extension lof thehousing acting to -preventtheimoisture from creeping fromthe rope.to the.saidengaging lportions of the switching mechanism to prevent shortcircuits or grounds, this vfunction of the tubular-.extensionofithefhousing being performed Wheth er or not. saidextensicn ismovablewith respect-to the balance. ofthe 4housing. 5I preferablyprovide in copera- -tion with the tubular eXtension-ofthetpulley housingan improved construction of switching mechanism vwhereby the lamp. maybe. cut -into andcutof circuit. To this `end, there 1s provided ay.guide .coperating -with the :tubular extension .then acting asagguideithat serves to cause the movement of the lamp in a directionpractically parallel with the tubular extension, a switching guide beinprovided whereby the elements of the switc ma be nicely directed intoengagement wit out jerking the lamp and modifying its adjustment. j

There are other features of my invention that will be hereinafter setforth.

rlhe preferred embodiment of my invention will be fully described inconnection with the accompanying drawings and the said invention will bepointed out in the claims hereinafter.

ln' the drawings-Figure 1 is a vertical section on line a-a Fig. Il ofthe mechanism of my invention, a part being shown in elevation. Fig. 2is a view at right angles of a part of the structure shown in llig. 1.Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of the upper portion of the mechanismtaken in a direction at right angles to Fig. 1. Fig. l is a sectionalplan vlew on line bw?) of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a view showing the anchoragedevice for the mechanism of my invention. Fig. 6 is a view on line c-cof Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a perspective View of a mast arm and an arc lampemploying my invention.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughoutthe diiderent figures.

The pulley 1 is provided with a mounting 2, in which it is journaled,this mounting preferably being in the form of a housing having wallsbetween which the pulley is located and substantially parallel with theplane of rotation of the pulley, which walls are united at the toppreferably by a curved wall 3 and at the front and rear by transverseWalls l and t, whereby a substantially inclosed hood is adorded for thepulley. Ample space is adorded between the top margin of the front walll and the top wall 3 in which the pulley rope 5, preferably manila rope,may play. The pulley housing described is provided with a journal 6projecting laterally beyond the housing on both sides thereof and beingadapted for reception within the pockets 8 provided in the socketed endor cap piece 9 secured upon the mast arm 10 that may be employed forsupporting the structure. The cap 9 is desirably formed in one integralcasting having, as illustrated, a seat or pocket at its upper part thatreceives the mast arm and which conforms in cross-section to the shapeof the mast arm in` cross-section, the mast arm and cap being adapted tobe secured together by means of a set boltY 11. The cap 9 is pro videdwith downwardly extending projections or ears 12 in which the beforementioned pockets 8 are provided.

In assembling the parts, the mast arm 10 is the last element to beassociated with the pulle housing support 9, the journal 6 bemg t efirst to ass through the opening in the element 9 t at later receivesthe mast arm. ln order that the journal 6 may enter the pockets 8, thesaid pockets are not made exactly to receive the journal but are ex,tended upwardly and into communication with' that portion of the supportor end plate 9 that receives the mast arm. After the journal 6 has beenpassed through the opening for the mast arm and into engagement with thebottom of the pockets 8, the' mast arm is inserted to prevent thejournal from emerging from said pockets. This portion of the supportingmechanism just described constitutes an important feature of my presentinvention.

ils the supporting mechanism is herein set forth as being especiallyadapted to the support of arc lamps, the top or cap 13 of the arc lampcircuit controlling mechanism hood is fastened to the bottom of themounting 2. A. central openin is provided in the cap 13 in which is rigily secured a tube 14 that may be threaded upon its lower end to affordlodgrnent for the race-way wall 15 and the fastening nut 16, to hold thesaid race-way wall in adjustment. Roller bearings, as the balls 17, rollupon the race-way wall 15, which balls support the race-way wall 18 thatis lined with respect to and carried by the tubular extension 19, which,in effect, constitutes a tubular extension of the housing 2. 'lheextension 19 includes an upwardly extending cylindrical projection 20, acasting 21 and the race-way wall 22, whereby an inclosure is affordedfor the rope or cable 5 to prevent the moisture from creeping therefromto the switching or circuit controlling mechanism. There is disposedupon the wall 22 a number of balls 25 upon which rests a wall 26,companion to the wall 22, the wall 26 being desirably fixed with respectto the plate 13. By means of both ball bearings that have beendescribed, the tubular extension 19 of the housing 2 is maintained inalinement, and by means of the construction specified the desiredmechanical union between the housing 2 and the tubular extension 19 iseffected to permit the relative motion between the said housin andextension that is desired in the preferre embodiment of the invention.To this end, the wall 18 is fixed with respect to the tubular extension19, as is also the wall 22, so that the wall 15,4 which is fixed withrespect to the covering 13 and the housing 2, carries the element 19.The element 19 acts as a guide with which the element 27 cooperates, thelatter element being preferably tubular and adapted for snug sliding twith the tube 19. The element 27 carries one or more cam rollers 28,which, in eiiect, constitute enlargements upon the rope 5 as one end ofsaid rope is clamped to the element 27, whereby said enlargements 28 arecaused to move'with'the rope. The tubular extension 19 is shown with aseries of inclined cams or guides 29 coperating with 'a series ofinclined cams or guides 30 in sueha manner as to cause the enlargements28 to be guided by tube 27, causing the cams 29 and 30 to so act uponthe rope enlargement or enlargements 28 as to guide the saine into thechannels 34, permitting separation between the enlargements and the tube19, so that the tube 27 and the apparatus carried thereby may becompletely lowered.

It. will be seen that in directing each enlargement. into a channel 34(reference now particularly being had to Fig. 2 for clearness, aposition of' the enlargement 28 i-n passage being indicated in dottedlines) the curved cam Wall 35 will' guide the corresponding enlargement28 into line with the corresponding exit. groove 34. It will be Jfurtherseen that in seating the enlargements the coperating curved cam surface36 will guide the corresponding enlargement 28 overthe wallv of thepocket that is to receive said enlargement, so that when the slackeuedthe said enlargement will fall into the pocket. Each of the upper set ofcams 29, it will be seen, terminates in a downwardly extendingprojection, the extensions 37 being located over the pockets 38 that areto receive the enlargements 28 to direct the said enlargements in andout of said pockets,-

while the remaining extensions 39' project into the channels 34 todirect said enlarge# men-ts into said channels when the element 27 is tobe lowered and into engagement with' the projections 39 when the element27 is to be raised and supported.

1t will be seen that there is positive action by the cams upon theenlargements 28, whereby the course of travel of said enlargements ispositively directed with respect-to the sleeve 19 and with respect tothe pockets that are to receive the enlargements and the channels 34, inwhich the said enlargements travel toward the pockets and from 'thesame.

The invention being of particular service in connection with a-rc lamps,have provided switching mechanism preferably in- 'cluding an annularterminal 40- and a seg* mental terminal 41 to which the wires 42 andconnected with the supply circuit are led. These wires are wrapped aboutthe insulators and 45, each wire being twisted about itself at such. apoint uponv its insulator as to I terminal 41.

rope is' bring the twists in. substantial alinement Withthe axis of thejournal 6. Thus, whenever the lamp support is swung upon the journal 6,the distance between the twists of said wire and the anchorage of saidWire at 'a stationary pole, for example, remains un changed. This isanother feature of my present invention.

The terminal 40 *i preferably provided with two terminal brushes 46,while the termin-al 41 is also preferably provided with two'terminalbrushes 47. Said terminal brushes are mechanically united with thehousing 2, as will -be clearly understood by i reference to Figs. 3 and4. The lstructure `illustrated is adapted to a series arc lamp,

each brush 46 being adapted to engage its companion brush 47 when thelamp is lowered to maintain the light-ing circuit intact. The lampterminals are preferably tubular or annular, as indicated, the innerbrushes 46 serving to engage the inner terminal 40, while the outerbrushes 47 engage the outer The terminals 40 and 41 move with thetubular element 27 and, are thus brought into and out of connection withthe brushes 46 and 47 upon corresponding manipulation of the cable towhich the terminals 40V and 41- are thus attached. lApart from theirother functions and characteristics, the tubular element 19, acting asan extension for the housing 2, also acts as one element of a guide, theother element 27 of which guide travels with the terminals 40 fectedwithoutl suddenly jerking the rope 5,v

there is provided a ring 50 which is wedgeshaped in cross-section andwhose Wedge edge opposes the free ends of the jaws of the switch brushes46 and 47, the lower ends of the brushes 46 being preferably flaredinwardly toward the rope, while the lower ends ofthe brushes 47 areflared oppositely. The wedge edge of the ring 50 is forced between thefree ends ofthe 'brushes 46 and 47, so that, apparently, gradualseparation thereof is effected to place'the said brush ends in positionreadily to engage the terminals 40 and 41. The ring v.50 is desirablymade of metal,'in order that the separation of the brushes preparatoryto their engagement with the terminals 40 and 41 will not be followed byan opening of the lamp circuit.

It will be seen that the tubular structure.,l preferably including theelements 19, 20, 21 and 22, acts as a shield to prevent the moisturefrom creeping from the rope 5 to the brushes 46 and- 47 and theassociated parts,

ilo

, whereby short circuiting and grounding by the actlon of such moistureis prevente lt will be seen that the tubular element 27 of the lampcarrier irrespective of the tubular element 19 acts to prevent moisturetrom passing from certain parts oi the cable 5 to the circuitcontrolling mechanism.

lt will be seen that the enlargement 28 is substantially xed withrespect to the carrier. rlihis characteristic forms an essential featurein some embodiments of my invention. While this enlargement is incoperative relation with the tubular element 19, the brushes 4G and 4&7slide over the elongated terminals d8 and 4:9. llt will also be seenthat the enlargement 28 not only acts to supportJ the lamp carrier, butalso serves to engage the housing or its tubular extension 19 when thecarrier is elevated to limit the upward movement oit' the carrier, saidenlargement being seated in the socket when the carrier is supported bythe housing.

It is obvious that changes may readily be made in the apparatus of myinvention without departing from the spirit thereof, and l do not,therefore, Wish to be limited in all embodiments of the invention to atubular formation of the cam element 19, nor do l wish to be limited tothe shapes of elements as herein shown and specifically described, but

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters- Patentl. rlihe combination With a stationary member, and amovable member, of a rotary extension on the stationary member adaptedto enter the movable member, and provided with external camgrooves, andmeans carried by the movable member for engaging in said cam grooves,the grooves being formed that the movable member is alternately released'from and locked to the stationary member upon pulls on the movablemember. Y

2. The combination with a stationary member, of a rotary part on saidmember, provided with cam portions, and a movable member having meansengaging said cam portions, to alternately release the movable memberfrom and lock it to the stationary member upon pulls on the movablemember.

3. The combination with a stationary member, of a member movable thereonand carrying cam portions, and a movable member having means engaging insaid cam grooves to alternately release the movable member from and'lockit to the stationary member upon pulls on the movable member.

4. The combination with a stationary member, of a tubular memberarranged to rotate on the stationary member and carrying a cammechanism, a movable member adapted to coperate with the cam mechanism,and a cable extending through the tubular member and connected tothemovable member.

5. In a device of the class described, the

,combination with a pulle housin of a member rotatably mounte on theousin and carrying cam mechanism, a. cable, an a member havingattachment with the cable and adapted for coperation with said cammechanism to become engaged therewith and to be disengaged therefromupon the manipulation of the cable.

6. ln a device of the class described, the combination with a pulleyhousing, of a tubular part rotatably mounted on the housing and providedwith cam mechanism, a cable passing through said tubular part, and amember having attachment with the cable and adapted for coperation withsaid cam mechanism to become engaged therewith and to be disengagedtherefrom upon the manipulation of the cable.

7. lin a device of the class described, the combination with a pulleyhousing, of a tubular part thereof permanently mounted thereon butmovable with respect thereto and provided with cam mechanism\ on theouter face thereof, a cable passing trough the housing and through saidtubular extension, and a tubular guide having attach ment with thevcable and adapted to receive said tubular extension andn coperate withthe cam mechanism to become engaged therewith and to bedisengagedtherefrom upon the manipulation of the cable.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination with a pulleyhousing, of a tubular part permanently mounted thereon but rotatablethereon and provided with cam mechanism on the outer face thereof, acable passing through the housing and through said tubular extension,and a tubular guide having attachment with the cable and adapted to.receive said tubular extension and coperate with cam mechanism tobecome engaged therewith and to be disengaged therefrom upon themanipulation of the cable.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination with a housingand a lamp carrier movable relatively thereto, of a tubular membercarried by one of said parts, a member for movement in the tubularmember, carried by the other of said parts, means rotatably securing oneVof said members to the housing, and a cam mechanism carried by themember secured to the housing.

10. In a device or" the class described, the

rier movable relatively thereto, of a pair of oppositely extendingprojections carried' by one of said parts, and a cam mechanism"rotatably mounted on the other of said parts and operated by saidprojections.

combination with a housing, and a lamp car# 11. In a device of thevclassdescribed, thel combination with a housing, of a cam mechanismincluding a part rotatable on the housing about a vertical axis, and alamp carrier held by said cam mechanism.

12. In a device of the class described, the combination with a socketedend piece, of a mast arm upon which the said end piece may be disposed,the said end piece being provided with downwardly projecting ears havingpockets forming continuations of the space in the upper portion of theend piece, and a pulley housing provided with a journal adapted forinsertion through the upper portion of the end piece and from thence forreception Within said pockets, said journal being prevented fromdisplacement by the portion of the mast arm inserted within said endpiece, substantially as described.

.13. The combination of a stationary member carrying an annularterminal, a segmental terminal, a plurality of terminal brushes carriedby each terminal, the terminal brushes of one terminal being adapted tocontact with the fterminal brushes of the other; a movable membercarrying two tubular terminals, and a wedge shaped metallic ringarranged above the two tubular members and' adapted to separate thecontacting brushes.

14. The combination of a stationary member and a movable member, one ofwhich is provided with an extension and the other of which is guidedonto the extension, a pair of terminals carried by the stationarymember, each terminal being provided with a plurality of brushes whichare adapted to contact with the brushes on the other terminal, a

pair of tubular contacts carried by the mov-` able member, and anannular ring, wedge shaped in cross section, arranged above the tubularcontacts and adapted to separate the brushes.

15. The combination of a stationary member and a movable member, one ofwhich is provided with an extension and the other of which is guidedonto the extension, a pair of terminals carried by the stationary membereach terminal being provided-with a plurality of brushes which areadapted to Contactv with the brushes on the other terminal, a pair oftubular contacts carried by the movable member, and a metallicwedge-shaped annular ring adapted to separate and bridge the contacts,and direct them onto the tubular contacts.

16. In a device of the class described, the combination with a housing,of a hood having connection with the housing, an interlocking mechanismdisposed in the hood, and a lamp carrier held by said interlockingmechanism.

17. The combination with a stationary member, of a tubular memberarranged to rotate on the stationary member, a movable member,interlocking connections between the tubular and movable members, and acable extending through the tubular member andy w combination with asocketed end piece, of a mast arm upon which said end piece may bedisposed, said end piece having pockets, and a pulley housing providedwith a journal adapted for insertion in said pockets, said journal beingprevented from displacement by the portion of the mast arm insertedwithin said end piece.

20. In a device of the class described, the combination with a socketedend piece, of a mast arm upon which said end piece may be disposed, thesaid end'piece being provided with downwardly projecting ears havingpockets forming continuations of the space in the upper portion of theend piece, a pulley housing provided with a journal adapted forinsertion through the upper portion of the end piece and thence forreception within said pockets, said journals being prevented fromdisplacement by the vportion of the mast arm inserted within said endpiece.

21. The combination of a stationary member carrying a pair of oppositelydisposed terminals, terminal brushes carried by each terminal, thebrushes of one terminal being adapted to contact with the terminalbrushes of the other, a'movable member carrying a pair of-oppositelydisposed tubular terminals, and an annular wedge shaped member arrangedabove said tubular terminals and adapted to separate the brushes.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this twentieth day ofAugust A. D.,

' GEORGE CUTTER. Witnesses:

Y ALBERT SCHEIBLE,

CHAS. B. SIMMONS.

